Inking mechanism for printing presses



Ma .y 29, 1945. c. F. ROOT INKING MECHANISM FOR PRINTING PRESSES Filed Apri; 8, 1943 4 sheets-sheet 1 ATTORNEYS May 29, 1945. F. RoT 9 2,377,269

INKING MECHANISM FOR PRINTING PRESSES Filed April 8, 194s 4 sneetssheet 2 INVENTR CHARLES F. RooT ATTORNEYS' May 29, 1945. c. F. ROOT INKING MECHANISM FOR PRINTING PRESSES Filed April 8, 1943 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR Y CHARLES F. RooT ATTORNE YS May 29, 1945. C, F, RQOT 2,377,269

INKING MECHANISM FOR PRINTING PRESSES INVENT OR. CHARLES ROOT BY v ATTORNEYS Patented May 29, 1945 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

' INKING MECHANISM FOR PRINTING PRESSES CharlesI F. Root, Cleveland, Ohio, assignor to The Chandler & Price Company, Cleveland, Ohio, a

corporation of Ohio 20 Claims.

The present improvements, relating as indicated to inking mechanism for printing presses, have more particular regard to inking mechanism for platen printing presses of the .so-called Gordon type. It will be understood, however, that the several improvements which constitute the invention may be advantageously used with printingy presses of other types, where a form requires to be inked by transfer of ink from a suitable fountain or like source spaced from such form.

In presses of the platen type it is usual irlitially to transfer the ink from the fountain onto a distributing disk or plate by means of rollers which travel back and forth across the latter and then in turn to transfer the ink from such disk or plate onto the form by a second similar set of rollers called form rollers. In the first of these operations one of the difficulties encountered is that-the rollers which transfer the ink from the fountain naturally tend to deposit more of such ink on the portion of the distributing disk or plate with which they iirst come into contact, and even though provision is Amade for rotation of the disk or plate between passes of such rollers, the distribution of yink on the sur-` tact with the distributing disk or plate,fthey will naturally tend to deposit a heavier coating on that portion of the form with which they first contact than on the remainder of the form.

One principal object accordingly of the present invention is to provide means which will insure in the first place a more uniform coating of the ink as it is transferred from the well to the distributing disk or plate, and, in the second place, similarly to insure the uniform coating of the entire form by the operation' of the form rollers in transferring the ink from the distributing disk or plate to the form.

Another object, accomplished incidentally `to the first of the foregoing is the avoidance of contact between the first set of rollers and the clistributing disk or plate during the period when the latter is rotated as is regularly done to insure a more complete distribution of ink on its surface. i

Still another object is to provide simple andeffective means for holding the distributing rollers out of contact with theY disk or plate so as to render such rollers inoperative when desired.

Still another object is to provide means for automatically moving out of operative position the ink well, or rather the roller associated therewith, which supplies ink to the distributing rollers whenever the throw-01T is applied to the press,4 or in other words, the bed is shifted so that Without stopping operation of the press as a whole the form does not contact'with the platen.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, said invention, then, consistsv of the means hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed out in the claims. l

The annexed drawings and the following description set forth in detail certain mechanism embodying the invention, such disclosed means constituting, however, but one of various mechanicalv forms in which theprinciple of the invention may bev used.

In said annexed drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a platen printing press of the Gordon type, only such portions thereof other than the form-carrying bed and associated inking mechanism being shown as are necessary to an understanding of the present improvements;

Fig. 2 is a similar side elevation, on a somewhat larger scale, of the upper portion of the formcarrying bed and associated inking mechanism;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the parts shown in Fig. 2 as viewed from above;

Fig. 4 is a front elevation of the parts shown in Fig. 2 as viewed from the right in said figure;

Fig. 5 is a broken side elevation of means whereby the inking roller associated with the ink fountain is' operated, such view being taken from the opposite side of the press to that shown in Figs. 1 and 2;

Fig. 6 is a section on a vertical plane indicated by the line 6-6 Fig. 3, presenting an endwise View of the ink distributing rollers and of the trackway Vassociated therewith;

Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig; 6 but showing the parts in a different position;

Fig. Bis a broken side elevation on a .larger scale showing the mounting of the trackway alongside the form over which the form rollers travel; y

Fig. 9 is a transverse section of the same, the plane of the section being indicated bythe line 9--9 Fig. 8;

Fig. 10 is a vertical section of the same, the

plane of the section being indicated by the line IIJ--I 6 Fig. 9;

Fig. 11 is a broken transverse section showing the end mounting of the ink distributing4 rollers, associated trackway and other parts, the plane of the section being indicated by the line II--II Fig. 2; i

Fig. 12 is a brokeniview lcorresponding to Figs.

5 and 6 and illustrates a modication in the construction of the auxiliary or supplemental track associated with the distributing rollers; and

Fig. 13 is a side elevation of the ink fountain and the adjustable support therefor, shown apart from the remainder of the mechanism.

The bed I of the press in the face of which the form (not shown) is secured in familiar manner, is oscillatorily supported at its lower end about an axis 2 in the main frame 3 of the press. Oscillation of bed I is vproduced by means oi connecting rods or side arms 4, one on each side, whichareattached at one end to cranksv 5 on a rotating part of the'press and at the other to the corresponding ends of a shaft 6 that extends transversely through the bed. The lastnamed connections include eccentrics by oscillation of which the bed is displaced `sulciently so as to prevent the form from coming into contact with the platen (not shown). Such shifting of the eccentric connection just referred to is effected by the usual means such as the illustrated 4hand lever I and interconnected system of links and levers 8 and 9.

Also oscillatorily mounted on shaft 6 are roller frames I0,-oneon.each side of the bed I which carry the form-inking rollers I I shown as consisting'of two pair. Each such pair is mounted in th'e usual manner in trucks or saddles I2 which are in turn attached to the outer ends of plungers I3- that are normally drawn inwardly by as sociated springs (not shown) in arms IU.

Oscillation of arms Iis produced in the usual manner by means of a link I4 connected at one end with a pivot Illa sp-aced Vfrom the axis of oscillation of the arms and at the'other end to a fixed point on the main frame of the press.

Mounted on a bracket I5 that projects upwardly from bed I is an ink distributing plate I6 which is preferably in the form of a disk, as shown, such disk being rotatable about a central pivot I1 on said bracket. To assist in the even distribution of ink on the disk, provision is usually made for imparting to the latter a step-by-step rotative movement, but such means form no part of the present invention and are therefore not illustrated. As shown in Figs. l and 2, the plane of the disk is inclined at an obliqueangle to that of the form,.and extending along the respective sidesoi said disk and form are tracks, presently to be described, which constitute in effect a ccntinuous trackway whereon the ink distributing and form inking rollers are movably supported.

AIl)

The ink distributing rollers I8, two in number,

together' with an associated vibrating roller. I9, are supported in suitable trucks or saddles provided in a carriage comprising side frames 2 I, one on each side of -the disk. These frames, as shown in Fig. 2, are of reversed C-form, the lower portionthereof being provided with spaced rollers 22` that travel in outwardly facing channel guideways 23. Stay rods or bars 24 which connect the side frames 2I complete the carriage structure, which, it will be seen, is mounted for reciprocable movement in a plane parallel with the disk I6. i`

Such reciprocable movementof the vcarriage (see Figs. 2 and 11) is derived from oscillation of one of the side arms ID by means of a link 25 connected at one end to a lower portion of the corresponding side frame 2| of the carriage at a point intermediate of rollers 22, and at the other end to a boss Ib on such side frame.

The ink distributing rollers I 8 are resiliently held in place in their respective saddles 20 by the pressure of the vibrator roller I9, induced by tension springs 26 associated with the end bearings of said vibrator roller. The position of the rollers I8 is further determined by contact between truck wheels 21 on their respective ends and tracks 28 supported in parallel relation, one on each side of disk I6 and substantially in the plane of the latter. These tracks are joined by curved sections 29 with other tracks 30 that are similarly disposed alongside the face of bed I in which the form is secured. There is thus formed a continuous trackway from a point adjacent the rear edge of the disk to a point lying below the lower edge of such form.

In addition to tracks 28 there are provided alongside disk I6 supplemental tracks 3I, each of which, as best shown in Figs. 6 and 7, consists essentially of a bar, or rail, with correspondingly inclined slots 32 adjacent its respective ends, such bar being secured to the adjacent track by means of pins 33, so that the bars constituting such supplemental tracks are ca pable of limited longitudinal movement relative to said tracks 30. The slots have free sliding engagement with such pins and due to the inclination of the supplemental tracks, corresponding to the inclination of the disk ls, they win noi-- mally, under the influence of gravity, assume the position shown in Fig. 6 in which the upper edges thereof project above the corresponding edge of tracks 30. The upper ends 3Ia of the supplemental tracks 3l are gently beveled, while their lower ends present a sharper offset 3Ib when said tracks are in the position just described.

The supporting wheels on the ends of rollers I8 in the course of the downward movement of the latter ywhen they reach the supplemental tracks 3l encounter the latter in the raised position of Fig. 6, ride up the inclined ends 3Ia thereof, and as `a. result the rollers I8 are lifted out of contact with disk I6. It is at this stage that rotative movement will be imparted to the disk, such movement being unhindered by contact of the rollers therewith, and wear on the latter due to such rotative movement of the disk being at the same time avoided. Upon return, or upward movement of the rollers in question, said wheels come in contact with the lower more abruptly contoured end 3 Ib of the supplemental tracks and the pressure exerted by the rollers will be sufcient to move the latter into the position shown in Fig. 7 where the rollers will be in contactwlth the surface of the disk. In other words, while at the beginning of the downward travel of the transfer rollers, up to the point where the supplemental tracks are encountered, said rollers will contact; with the disk, during passage over the supplemental tracks `3l they will be held out of such contact, following which contact is again restored after passing beyond said supplemental tracks. On the other hand, during the return movement the supplemental tracks are wholly inoperative and the transfer rollers are in contact with the disk during the whole of such movement. In this way a much more uniform distribution on the disk `of the ink received by the rollers from thefountain is secured than has heretofore been possible. i

In each of the side frames 2| comprised in the carriage for the transfer rollers there is slidably mounted a bar 35 (see Figs. 2, 6 and 7) formed with spaced shallow recesses 35 in its upper edge that in one position of said bar receive the shafts of the respective transfer rollers I8 when the latter are disposed in position for engagement with disk I 6. However, when said bars are moved into the position shown in Fig. 7, the shafts of the rollers I8 are forced out of such recesses and lifted suciently so that they no longer will contact with the disk. Provision for such slidable mounting of the bars 35 consists simply 0f spaced slots 31 therein which engage with corresponding pins 38 on the carriage, and movement of the bars thus to render the transfer rollers operative or inoperative as desired vmay be readily effected manually.

The tracks 30 on the respective sides of the form are regularly mounted so as to provide for slight adjustment in order to permit variation in the degree of pressure with which the form rollers I-I contact the form. In my present improved construction I provide, in addition to means for such adjustment, a mounting for the tracks in question, which, in conjunction with a modified form of truck wheel, will permit certain of the form rollers to contact only during their upward movement across the form. This construction will now be described, reference being made to Figs. v2, 8, 9 and 10.

The rails 30, one on each side of the form which constitute the trackway for the trucks i2 of the form rollers, are adjustably secured to adjacent portions of the main frame I by means of c ap screws 40, shifting in the position of the rails being permitted by making the apertures 4I therein through which such screws pass of somewhat larger diameter than the screws (see Fig. 9). Fitted in such apertures are bushings 42, the outer ends of which are flanged to provide a bearing for a short link 43 which is thus left freely oscil latable even though the screw 4B is set to clamp rail 30 Xedly in place. As shown, there are two such clamping devices and the same number of such oscillatory links 43 for each of the rails 30. Pivotally attached to the outer ends of each such links is a bar 44 which constitutes a supplemental rail and which under the influence of gravity will normally assume the position shown in Figs. 8, 9

and 10 in which its outer edge projects a short' distance beyond the main rail 30, but in parallel relation thereto. limit the downward swinging movement of the links 43 with the supplemental rail in the position just described.

As shown in Fig. 3, the wheels 45 of the truck l2 which carry the upper path of form rollers I I are narrower than the corresponding wheels 41 of the truck which carry the lower pair of form rollers. The width and placement of said wheels 46 and 41 is such that the former will run only on the main rail of the trackways disposed on either side of the form, whereas the latter overlie both the main rails 30 and the supplemental rails 44. As a result of this disposition of parts, it will be seen that on the downward travel of the respective trucks I2, the upper form rollers will be positioned to contact with the form, whereas the lower truck rollers will be retained out of such contact due to engagement of truck wheels 41 with such supplemental rails 44. However, on

the return movement of the form rollers the pres- Stop pins 45 are provided to Y.

sure of truck wheels 41 will be sufcient to displace the supplemental rails, by swinging the links 43 upwardly, until such rails lie-flush with the main rails. Accordingly, during such upward' movement the lower pair of form rollers, aswell as the upper pair, will contact with .the form. As a result the upper form rollers contact with the form beginning at the upper edge while in freshly inked condition, and the lower pair of form rollers similarly contact with the form beginning at the lower edge thereof in freshly inked condition. Thus a very uniform application of ink to the entire form is assured. i f

The ink fountain 50, located beyond the upper end of the distributing disk I6, is inlgeneral of familiar construction. Howevenimproved means are provided for operating the fountain roller 5I and for adjustably positioning the fountain, together with said fountain roller 5I, and for automatically throwing the latter out of its normal position in contact with the uppermost ink distributing roller whenever the previously described press throw-01T mechanism is actuated. Such ad,- justing means will be described rst. v As best shown in Figs. 2 and 13, said ink foun tain as a. whole is carried by a frame 53, which in turn is oscillatorily supported through an integral, forwardly extending arm 53a, that is' pivoted about a shaft 51 'in the bracket I5 which carries the disk I6. Actually'there are two frame members 53, one on each side of the fountain and connected together by a plurality of transversely disposed rods. The lowermost such rod 54 rests on a setscrew 55 carried by one arm of a double arm lever or bell crank 55, which is oscillatory about the same shaft 51 from which the fountain is oscillatorily supported. The lower'arm of said bell crank 5B is provided with a, roller 58 which normally rests on a, small rounded projection or bossl 59 on shaft 6. In such position of the parts the position of fountain roller 5I may be accurately adjusted by means of set screw -55 so as properly to contact with the uppermost one of distributing rollers I8, when the latter reach their i upper limit of travel. l

Upon oscillation of the shaft 6, which, as previously described, has eccentric bearings `vin' the main frame, so that upon oscillation of said shaft by means of throw-olf lever 1 and intermediate connections the form is held out of contact with the platen, the projection 59 on said shaft 'will be moved out from under roller 58 on the lower arm of bell crank lever 56. As a result, the upper arm, which carries set screw 55, drops a corresponding amount, and so the fountain frame, including the fountain roller will be likewise dropped, all such action taking place by gravity. The movement of the fountain roller thus produced will be sufficient to prevent contact between the same and the upper distributing roller I8, and accordingly, whenever the press throw-off is operated, the transfer of ink from the fountain to the distribut ing disk will likewise be automatically stopped.

Furthermore, by adjustment ofthe screw 55, the normal position of the fountain roller in which it is adapted to contact with the upper distributing roller I8 may be adjusted to vary the degree of such contact.

As also best shown in Figs. 2 and 13, the fountain 5Uisprovided with the usual scraper blade 52, which is adjustably positioned by meansof a screw 52a and is adapted to be clamped in adjusted position by means of nuts 52b Step by step rotation of the fountain roller is produced by means of a ratchet wheel 60 on one end oi the roller shaft (the rear end as viewed in Figs. 1 and 2) and a pawl 8| carried by a lever 62 which is pivoted on the end of the roller shaft. A link 63 connects the outer end of levex` 62 with the adjacent side arm l0 of the press so that for swinging movement of the latter said lever 62 will be oscillated sufficiently to rotate the ratchet wheel an amount equal to the distance between successive teeth thereof.

In case, because the degree of inclination of trackways 28 and 30, over which the trucks of the distributing and form rollers travel, shouldbe such that the supplemental rails 3| and M'respectively associated with said tracks will not operate satisfactorily, as described, under the action of gravity, springs may be employed to supplement or take the place of such action. Such substitution might indeed be required where in a different type of press either the distributing `disk or the form was disposed substantially horizontally instead of at the angles found in a. platen press of the Gordon type. In Fig. 12 is illustrated the manner in which springs may thus be ernployed in conjunction with supplemental rails Il As shown, a light tension spring 65 is connected at one end to the lower end of the rail and at the other end to a pin 86 on the main rail 28. The tension of the spring will be such that while the supplemental rail is normally pulled to cause the latter to assume a raised position relatively to the main rail, the former will be readily pushed back flush with the latter during the upward or reverse path of travel of the trucks which carry the distributing rollers. In the case of the supplemental rails 44, similarly arranged tension spring may be employed or a coil spring may be applied to one or more of the links 43 in familiar fashion.

The general mode of operation of my improved mechanism, as well as that of its component parts, has been sufficiently indicated in connection with the foregoing description. It need only be pointed out that by employment of either form of supplemental rail such as that associated with main track alongside the distributing disk, or that similarly associated with the main track alongside the form, an entirely automatic and extremely simple device is provided for controlling the contact of the distributing rollers and form rollers respectively with the disk and form. In this way ythe uniform application oi' ink to the form is assured, and in the case of the distributing rollers a similar uniform distribution of ink on the disk is assured, While at the same time said rollers are held out of contact with the disk during the stage when the latter is rotated as a further step in the distribution of ink thereon. In

addition to the foregoing, there is provided an entirely automatic throw-oil for the fountain roller coincidentally with the throw-ofi' device for the press proper. The improvements may be readily incorporated severally or together in any type of platen press, but are particularly adaptable to the so-called Gordon press.

The mechanism whereby step-by-step rotation of the fountain roller 5i is produced forms the subject matter of my separate divisional application led January 13, 1944, Serial No- 518,105.

Other modes of applying the principle of my invention may be employed instead oi the one explained, change being made as regards the mechanism herein disclosed, provided the means stated by any of the followlngclaims or the equivalent of such stated means be employed.

I therefore particularly point out and distinctly claim as my invention:

1. In mechanism of the character described. the combination with a surface to be inked, an inking roller transversely movable thereacross, a track disposed alongside saidsurface and a wheel for said roller adapted to run on said track with said roller in contact with said surface; of a supplemental rail extending only part way along said surface and adjacent said track, said rail being arranged and constructed to engage said wheel, when moving in one direction, to hold said roller clear of said surface.

2. In mechanism of the character described, the combination with a surface to be inked, an inking roller transversely movable thereacross, a ,track disposed alongside said surface and a wheel for said roller adapted to run ,on said track with said roller in contact `with said surface; of a supplemental rail movably mounted adj cent said track and adapted in one position to lie flush, with the latter and in another position to lie thereabove, said rail extending only part way along said surface and said wheel upon engaging said rail when in said last-named position holding said roller clear of said surface.

3. In mechanism of the character described, the combination with a surface to be inked, an inking roller transversely movable thereacross. a track disposedalongside said surface and a wheel for said roller adapted to run ron said track with said roller in contact with said surface; of a supplemental rail movably mounted adjacent. said track and normally lying above said track in position to be engaged byv said wheel and thereby hold said roller clear of said surface, such engagement when said wheel is moving in one direction being directly effective to depress said rail flush with said track.

4. In mechanism of the character described, the combination with a surface to be inked, an inking roller transversely movable thereacross, a track disposed alongside said surface and a wheel for said roller adapted to run on said track with said roller in contact with said surface; of a supplemental rail movably mounted adjacent said track and normally held by gravity above said track in position to be engaged by` said wheel and hold the same clear oi said track, such engagement when said wheel is moving in one direction being effective to depress said rail ilush with said track.

5. In mechanism of the class described, the combination of a surface to be inked, plural rollers adapted to be moved in unison transversely across said surface, and means automatically retaining one of said rollers out of contact with such surface during movement in one direction and permitting such contact during movement in the opposite direction, said means including tracks disposedalong opposite sides of saidsurface, wheels for said rollers adapted to run on said tracks, and a supplemental rail mov` ably mounted adjacent each of said tracks and adapted in one position to lie flush therewith vand in another position to lie thereabove, the wheels for one of said rollers being wider than the wheels for the other so as to engage said rails as well as said tracks.

6. In mechanism of the class described, the combination of a lsurface to be inked, plural rollers adapted to be moved in unison transversely across said surface, and means automatically retaining one of said rollersl out of contact vwith such surface during movementin one direction and permitting such contact during movement in the opposite direction, said means including tracks disposed along opposite sides of said surface, wheelsfor said rollers adapted to run on said tracks, and a supplemental rail movably mounted adjacent each of said tracks and adapted normally to lie above the latter, the wheels for one of said rollers being wider than the wheels for the other so as to engage said rails las well as said tracks, and said rails being depressible into flush position with said tracks by engagement of said wider wheels therewith when moving in one direction.

7. In mechanism of the class described, the combination of a surface to be inked, plural rollers adapted to be moved in unison transversely across said surface, and means automatically retaining one of said rollers out of contact with such surface during movement in one direction and permitting such contact during movement in the opposite direction, said means including tracks disposed along opposite sides of said surface, wheels for said rollers adapted to run on said tracks, a supplemental rail movably mounted adjacent each of said tracksand adapted in one position to lie flush therewith and in another position to lie thereabove, and means t,

guiding such movement comprising plural links connecting each of said rails with the corresponding tracks whereby the former are maintained parallel with the latter, said rails in one position lying flush with said tracks an'd in another position lying thereabove, and the wheels for one of said rollers being wider than the wheels for the other so as to engage said rails as Well as said tracks.

8. In mechanism of the class described, the combination of a surface to `be inked, plural rollers adapted to be moved in unison transversely across said surface, and means automatically retaining one of said rollers out of contact with such surface during movement in one direction and permitting such contact during movement in the opposite direction, said means including tracks disposed along opposite sides of said surface, wheels for said rollersl adapted to run on said tracks, a supplemental rail movably mounted adjacent each of said tracks and adapted in one position to lie iiush therewith and in another position to lie thereabove, and means guiding such movement comprising plural links connecting each of said rails withr the corresponding tracks whereby the former are maintained parallel with the latter, said rails in normal, gravity induced, position lying above said rails and the wheels for one of said rollers being wider than the wheels for the other so as to engage said rails as well as said tracks.

9. In mechanism of the character described, the combination with a surface to be inked, an inking roller transversely movable thereacross, a track disposed alongside said surface and a wheel for said roller adapted to run on said track with said roller in contact with said surface; of a supplemental rail movably mounted adjacent said track and normally lying above said track in position to be engaged' by said wheel and thereby hold said roller clear of said surface, such engagement when said wheel is moving in one direction being directly effective to depress said rail flush with said track; and means guiding movement of said rail whereby the latter Ais maintained parallel with said track.

10. In mechanism of the character described, the combination with a surface to be inked, an inking roller transversely movable thereacross, a track disposed alongside said surface and a wheel foi,` said rollermadaptedto run on said track with said roller in contact with saidsurface; of a supplemental rail movably mounted adjacent said track and-normally lying above said track ih position to be engaged by said wheel and thereby hold lsaid-roller clear of said surface, such engagement when said wheel is moving in one direction being directly effective to depress said rail flush with said track; and means guiding movement of said rail relative to said track comprising pins in .the one member and inclined slots, slidable on such pins, in the other member whereby. the latter is maintained parallel with said track. s

l1. InV inking mechanism for printing presses, the` combination of a shiftable ink-distributing plate, a roller movable across and normally in contact with said plate, and means adapted automatically to raise said roller out of contact with said plate during a portion of such movement, whereuponV said plate may be freely shifted.

12. In inking mechanism for printing presses, the combination of` a shiftable ink-distributing plate, a roller movable thereacross and normally in contact with said plate, and means adapted automatically to raise said roller out of Contact with said plate during an intermediate portion of such movement, whereupon said plate may be freely shifted.

13. In inking mechanism for printing presses, the combination with a surface to be inked, of parallel tracks disposed one on each side of said surface, trucks movable on said tracks respectively, a roller mounted at its respective ends in said trucks, means adapted to move the latter along said tracks and thus move said roller across said surface, means normally resiliently pressing said roller in contact With said surface, and manually operable means carried by said trucks adapted to hold said roller out of contact with said surface.

14. In inking mechanism for printing presses, the combination With a surface to be inked, of parallel tracks disposed one on each side of said surface, trucks movable on said tracks respectively, a pair of rollers mounted at their respective ends in said trucks, means adapted to move the latter along said tracks and thus move said rollers across the surface to be inked, a vibrating roller resiliently held in contact with said first-named rollers and normally pressing the latter in contact with such surface, and manually shiftable bars in said trucks adapted in one position to hold said first-named rollers out of contact with said surface against the pressure of said vibrating roller.

15. In mechanism of the character described, the combination with a surface to be inked, an inking roller transversely movable thereacross, a track disposed alongside said surface and a wheel for said roller adapted to run on said track with said roller in contact with said surface; of a supplemental rail adjacent said track extending along an intermediate part of said surface only, said rail normally lying above saidl track to hold said roller clear of said surface and being movable into position flush with saidtrack by pressure of said wheel when moving in one direction.

16. In mechanism of the character described, the combination with an inking plate, an inking roller transversely movable thereacross, parallel tracks disposed alongside said plate and wheels for said roller adapted to run on said track with said roller in contact with said plate;

of a supplemental rail adjacent each of .said tracks part wayonly along said plate, said rails normally lying above said tracks to hold said roller clear of said plate and being movable into position ush with said tracks by pressure of said wheels when moving in one direction.

17. In mechanism of the character described, the combination with an inking disk, an inking roller transversely movable thereacross, parallel tracks disposed alongside said disk and wheels for said roller adapted to run on said track with said roller in contact With said disk; of a suppiemental rail adjacent each of said tracks extending along an intermediate part only of said disk, said rails normally lying above said tracks to hold said roller clear of said disk and being movable into position flush with said tracks by pressure of said wheels when moving in one direction.

18. In mechanism of the character described, the combination with a rotatable inking disk, an inking roller transversely movable thereacross, paralleltracks disposed alongside said disk, and

wheels for said roller adapted' to run onsaid tracks with said roller in Contact 'with said disk; of a supplemental rail adjacent each of said tracks extending along an intermediate part only of said disk, said rails normally lying above said track to hold said roller clear of said disk while it is rotated and being movable into position ush with said tracks by pressure of s aid wheels when moving in one direction.

19. The method of distributing ink on a shiftable plate preliminarily to transfer to a printing form, which comprises passing an ink-bearing roller back and forth across and in contact therewith except for a portion of such passage, during which said plate is left free to be shifted.

20. The method of distributing ink on a rotatable disk preliminarily to transfer to a printing form, which comprises passing an ink-bearing roller back and forth across and in contact therewith except for an intermediate portion of one such passage, during which such disk is left free to rotate. p

CHARLES F. ROOT. 

